Jessica PEGULA surges through opener at Miami Open as Lin Zhu retires on verge of defeat

Jessica Pegula is through to the third round at the 2024 Miami Open after seeing off Lin Zhu who retired just before the end of the contest in the second set down 6-4, 4-1 to the American who will aim to make strides on home soil.

Pegula who with her new coaching team was dumped out early by Anna Blinkova at Indian Wells would've watched as her old coach, David Witt got results out of Maria Sakkari who reached the final. Perhaps a point to be proven this week.

In the first set, she was down 3-1 as Lin Zhu made it complicated from the get go. However Pegula was able to recover it from there taking the first set narrowly 6-4. But it started to unravel for the Chinese ace in the second set. Pegula was quicker on the return and more aggressive and began to punish Lin Zhu who herself felt it for different reasons.

She asked for medical attention for some discomfort and dizziness and she was soon retiring handing Pegula the walkover as she joins in particular Matteo Berrettini and Arthur Cazaux as two other players who have suffered with the humid conditions despite the rain. Next up for Pegula though is Leylah Fernandez who in a mirrored image won soon after Pegula was handed the walkover. A top third round tie awaits.